Cream
by Mad-like
Summary: I couldn't believe my ears when Mr. Schuester told Mercedes to skip college and head to LA on the first bus after graduation. Especially after the big deal they made about everybody else going to college - even Finn! Bah!
1. Chapter 1

I couldn't believe my ears when Mr. Schuester told Mercedes to skip college and head to LA on the first bus after graduation. Especially after the big deal they made about everybody else going to college - even Finn who ought to thank his lucky stars he has Burt's garage to run. But Mercedes should 'follow her dreams'. Bah!

* * *

"Are you sure the auditorium's free?"

"Look around. Nobody here." Mercedes pushed Artie across the empty stage.

"We can do this in the choir room." Mercedes said.

"Choir room? Mercy, you don't have an unlimited amount of time left. You don't get that many opportunities to dominate this stage as you rightfully should. Partially my fault."

"Oh Artie, just let West Side Story go. It's history, turn the page."

"Page turned." He picked up the guitar in his lap and handed it to her. "I'm going to go sit in the audience. If you're so convinced you're going to LA instead of college you might as well get used to singing on the street, hopefully earn enough to pay for a night at the Y."

"Artie, you heard Mr. Schuester. Cream rises to the top."

"That ain't all that's floating on the top." She pushed his chair with her hip. "Listen Mercy, you're good. The best. Better than Miss Priss he keeps shoving to the front of the stage. But let's get real, how many girls with great voices jump off the Greyhound bus everyday in LA? Whitney Houston had Cissy Houston and Aretha Franklin to show her around. Mariah Carey worked as a waitress before she latched onto that rich guy. Least you could learn business, something to keep you fed and housed while you're rising to the top. You need a plan B."

"Schuester said..."

"You know how many tragedies start with Schuester said?"

"Just go listen! Somebody's got this place booked, they're just late." She tuned the guitar while she waited for Artie to get in position.

"Okay, let 'er rip!"

_Many years have passed since those summer days  
Among the fields of barley  
See the children run as the sun goes down  
As you lie in fields of gold_

_You'll remember me when the west wind moves_  
_Among the fields of barley_  
_You can tell the sun in his jealous sky_  
_When we walked in fields of gold_

"Excellent." Artie called out from the darkness. "See what happens when you listen to me about guitar lessons. Easier than carrying around a keyboard. Next – **At Last.**" Mercedes started playing and singing. "Eva!" he shouted.

"I'd doing Eva!" she yelled back.

"Don't lie to me woman! Not Etta, Eva!" Mercedes frowned and slowed the tempo a little, lowered the volume. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"

_I found a dream that I could speak to  
A dream that I can call my own  
I found a thrill to press my cheek to  
A thrill that I have never known._

Artie didn't notice the black woman who slipped into the seat next to him until she spoke.

"Hello." the woman said, staring at the stage.

"Hey!"

"So her name is Eva?"

"No, it's Mercedes. I'm trying to teach her the difference between Eva Cassidy and Etta James."

"Why?" Now she studied the black-haired boy in the wheelchair.

"Because our incompetent coach," he paused "ummm, you're not here to offer Will Schuester a job, are you?"

"No, some other business."

"Okay. This teacher, who's supposedly an adult and should know better, told her to skip college and run off to LA. I told her she better get used to dumpster diving."

"A voice like that, she won't be dumpster diving, assuming she's got family or friends there who'll let her sleep on their sofa for a couple of years while she builds a reputation. She can do Etta James?"

"In her sleep. Etta!" he yelled.

"Oh, now you want Etta, do you?" She launched into that.

"Wow, that's spectacular. What else can she do?"

"Ella!" Artie yelled.

"Ella? What am I, a human jukebox?"

"You know you can do it. People are going to make you earn those quarters. That's why folks go to college girl, so they don't have to depend on quarters to pay the rent."

Mercedes started singing again.

"She's phenomenally good." The woman said. "You don't often hear that kind of versatility."

"You want Elvis Costello too, while we're on the E's?" Mercedes asked sassily.

"No thank you." The woman said. "But I'm sure you could do it."

"Who is that?" Mercedes jumped off the stage, suddenly embarrassed.

"Ms. Tibideaux." The woman offered her hand. "I'm the dean of NYADA. I'm supposed to meet a couple of students here." She looked at her paperwork. "Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel."

"Oh! They're both so good!" Mercedes gushed.

"So good!" Artie repeated with all the enthusiasm he could muster.

"And it's so not like them to be late."

"So not like them." Artie repeated. Mercedes shot him a dirty look. He pulled out his phone and shot off a text.

"Why didn't you apply to NYADA?" Ms Tibideaux asked.

"Me? I'm not nearly as good as they are."

"But yet you're thinking of skipping college to try to make it in show business? Do you realize how brutal that is? The money's in songwriting. You know how much money Dolly Parton made from Whitney Houston?"

"Dolly Parton?"

"She wrote I'll Always Love You. Every time it gets played on the radio, kaching! And the songwriter doesn't have to go on tour. Touring's fun for about a minute. Songwriters just sits back and waits for the check to come in the mail. If you can write half as well as you sing you'll make a fortune. That's how college is useful, leaning that kind of information."

"My teacher said cream rises to the top." She said stubbornly.

"It does. Eventually. But in the meantime what are you supposed to do?"

They all turned to face the clatter at the back door as Rachel, Kurt and their entourage came in.

"I'm sorry that we're late." Rachel said. "We're not late, are we?" She could have sworn that had another 15 minutes.

"No, not at all." Ms. Tibideaux replied. "I'm early. In the meantime Mercedes has been keeping me entertained."

Rachel didn't look entirely happy about that.

"Good luck, guys!" Mercedes said standing up.

"Aren't you staying?" Kurt asked, shifting from one foot to the other. Blaine put a steadying hand on his arm and was rewarded with a dazzling smile from Kurt.

"No, I don't want to make you nervous. Besides, I need to go to the library and do some research on songwriting. Nice to meet you, Ms. Tibideaux."

"No, the pleasure was all mine." She made notes in her book as Mercedes walked away.

* * *

Fields of Gold - Eva Cassidy's cover of Sting's song

At Last - it's from 1941 and has been covered by everybody. In this case Etta James (1960), Eva Cassidy (2000), Ella Fitzgerald (1983) and Elvis Costello (2003)


	2. Chapter 2

Mercedes pushed Artie up the aisle to the doors in the back of the auditorium. She was going to miss Artie, and the workout she gets pushing him around. Not that he needs the help but they both like it, hanging out together, the New Directions Lonely Hearts club. You'd think girls would be all over Artie but no. He's got another year until he can go out in the real world where women appreciate a guy for more than his ability to walk. As for Mercedes, Shane was a mistake, no way around that. Sam? Who knows what's up with Sam. One minute she's cream, the next she's invisible. Mercedes pushed the button for the automatic door opener at the auditorium entrance. Sam! Of course, he's probably waiting for a ride home with Kurt, Blaine and/or Finn.

"Excuse us." She brushed by Sam.

"Actually," he had his hands in his back pockets and was bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh, well I'm giving Artie a ride home but I wanted to stop by the library first. You want to come?"

"Thank you. You don't mind Artie, do you?" He took over pushing the chair.

"Don't mind me. Matter of fact, while you guys discuss whatever it is I'll be over in the anime section. I want to see what slipped past the librarian this month." Artie headed off in that direction while Mercedes aimed for the college catalogs. She pulled down the one for Ohio State and sat down with an open notebook.

"Aha!" her finger followed the index. She quickly flipped to a page and wrote down some information. "Just a second. I think my life just turned in a new direction. New direction, get it? Ha! That's just what I'm looking for!" She scribbled some more. Sam stood behind her and leaned over her shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

He was so close to her she lost her train of thought. Whatever soap he's using these days smells so good. She looked at the paper in front of her. Right, Ohio State! "Did you know that Ohio State offers a degree in music theory and composition, and one in vocal performance?"

"I thought you were going to LA. You're so good!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence but Ms. Tibideaux was right, running off to LA right now is a stupid idea. I can start here, Ohio State at Lima, and then transfer to Columbus. I'll save a ton of money and have my parent's financial backing and moral support. Win/win."

"I thought your parents didn't approve of you having a career in music."

"No, they didn't approve of me showing up in LA without a plan. This is a plan, they'll like this."

"Who's Ms. Tibideaux?" She could practically feel his breath against her ear.

"She's from NYADA, here to audition Kurt and Rachel." she moved away a fraction of an inch and Sam got the message. "So, what did you want?"

He took a seat next to her. "I wanted to ask you a question. I wanted to know if you have a boyfriend."

"No. Why?"

"Well, can you come to the prom with me? Would you like that? You can say no if you want."

"I can't." Sam looked heartbroken. "Well, you see, I'm going with Artie. We're not dating or anything but last year he went by himself and I didn't know about us and we decided to go together."

"No, that's fine." His green eyes started to get misty. "Just wondered. I can't afford to take you to the prom anyway. Don't know what I was thinking. It's okay." He started to stand up.

She stood up too and put her hand on his arm. "We could go together, the three of us! We did that last year and it was fun, wasn't it? If you had asked me a couple of days ago..." He shook his head slowly and she gripped his arm tighter "I really want to have my picture taken with you in front of a badly-painted backdrop, dance with you under a paper mache moon, kiss you under cardboard stars." She held his arm so tightly it was painful. "Sam, think of the cheeziest movie you ever saw. The one where you had to clinch your teeth because it was so predictable and your jaw hurt for a week. And the only reason you stayed was because the girl sitting next to you kept saying the leading man reminded her of you. And she was the prettiest girl you ever saw, remember this was before you met me. Sam, think of the sappiest thing in that movie. The thing that made her go 'awwww' and grab your hand while you rolled your eyes and thanked God for dark theaters. That's what I want to do with you." She let go of his arm and looked down, but not before he saw her eyes were watery too. "Sorry, went too far."

Sam knew right then and there he had to marry her one day. He just had to. Right now he said. "Why don't you talk to Artie first? It's awkward."

"We'll talk to Artie together. I don't want any more misunderstandings and hurt feelings." She tore her eyes away from his face only due to the distraction of her phone, a text from Artie. "What the hell?"

"What is it?"

"They're asking for me at the auditorium."

"I'm headed that way anyway if I don't want to walk home. And we need to talk to Artie as soon as possible. Let's go."

* * *

Kurt was sitting in the hall outside of the auditorium, Blaine rubbing his back. The rest of the entourage was also sitting in the hall.

"What happened?" Mercedes asked, gently stroking Kurt's hair. "She said no?"

"Not yet. I'm sworn to secrecy about what happened. But I can say she wanted to talk to you again. I think she liked you."

"Me?" Mercedes shook her head in shock.

"Why not you?" Artie and Sam said at the same time. "Why not?"

"You two are sweet but you don't I have to say that. I've made up my mind, it's Ohio State."

"Next." Rachel strode from the room with her usual self confidence. "You can't take anybody. It's just you and her." She sat down next to Kurt and started whispering.

* * *

"Hello Mercedes, thank you for coming back." Ms. Tibideaux voice called out from the darkness as Mercedes mounted the stage.

"I didn't apply you know."

"Oh, so now you're telling me how to do my job?" the voice laughed.

"No ma'm. It's just, I didn't apply is all."

"Well, consider this a dry run for all those auditions you'll have in LA."

"I reconsidered that. I can go to Ohio State and have some skills and money when I get to LA. They have degrees in music and composition. I can spend a couple of years learning, writing songs, building a portfolio, maybe make a few local connections."

"You learned all that in 20 minutes?"

"You pointed me in the right direction. Thank you."

"You can thank me by singing for me." The voice said. "Please sing the song on stool in front of you."

Mercedes looked at the paper and grinned. "Yes ma'm."

* * *

Mercedes skipped out of the auditorium, walked up to Sam and placed one hand on each cheek. She pulled his face close to hers and kissed him for a solid minute, even slipping in a little tongue. Damn he missed this. "Thank you, Sam Evans!"

Kurt and Rachel looked up. "Well thank me some more!" Sam said with a broad grin. "And then tell me for what."

"In a minute! What did you do?" She asked Kurt and Rachel "Reba or Bobbie?"

"Reba." The both said, only Rachel said it as a question.

"You never heard of Reba McEntire?" Sam asked amazed. "How's that possible?"

"_I may have been born just plain white trash, but Fancy was my name!_" Mercedes belted. "Sam, didn't we drive all the way to that carnival singing that song? What about the dress?" she asked Kurt.

"_It was RED! Velvet trimmin' and it fit me good!_" Kurt drawled. "And he thought I was asleep on that car ride from Toledo. You can't travel with Sam without hearing country music. Thank god she didn't ask for the one about the sexy tractor! I wouldn't have been able to keep a straight face. Sorry, Sam, no kiss for you but I do appreciate it."

Shit! Rachel thought. She didn't even know that was supposed to be country music. A song about a tractor she would have recognized as country. Shit!

* * *

"Mr. Schuester, as you know I came here a interview a couple of your students."

"Will, call me Will."

"Carmen." She reached out to shake his hand, shoving aside the coffee and bagel she had been eating. Emma's going to freak, she doesn't allow eating in her office but Will could handle that later. Carmen needed a private room to finish her acceptance process. "I must say it was a pleasure to listen to your students."

"Thank you." Will gave her a broad smile. "Rachel is outstanding, don't you think? The best Broadway voice I've heard in a long time, don't you think?"

"Yes, she's quite good for someone so young. Her pop and Broadway pieces are excellent. Can she sing anything else?"

"Excuse me?"

"Can she sing R&B, Jazz, Gospel, Country, Blues, you know, anything else?"

"Well, we mostly do pop and Broadway, sometimes a little country but not much."

"Traditional country?"

"Not bluegrass or anything. Modern country. They can relate to that."

"Okay." Carmen made a note. NYADA was full of girls like Rachel. Did they really need one more? "Tell me about Kurt."

"Isn't his voice fantastic?"

"Yes, his range is outstanding. However," Schuester frowned a little. "why does he immediately go to his upper range and stay there? His middle to low ranges are quite good but I had to ask him to sing there. Have you been working with him on that?"

"No, not really. I think it's better for the kids to pick their own material."

"But they're children! Aren't we supposed to be helping them, guiding them? Did you hear his Whitney Houston piece?"

"I thought it was excellent." Schuester said defensively.

"It was good, really good, but it was in the wrong key. Half an octave lower and it would have been excellent." Carmen wrote in her notebook. She had wondered if Kurt's problem was his voice or his coach. He seemed to take direction well, unlike Ms. Berry who ignored the hints Carmen threw her way. She wrote down 'bad/no coaching' next to Kurt's name. "Okay, now about Mercedes."

"Mercedes? I didn't know she applied to NYADA."

"She didn't. I just stumbled across her. Cream rising to the top, she said you described it. What do you think of her?"

"I think she's good, very good."

"Rachel submitted tapes of your performances. I would have expected someone as good as Mercedes to be featured more. I really had to search her out. Why?"

"To be honest, Mercedes can be difficult to work with." Will paused a moment but Carmen deserved a straight answer. "She's not highly motivated. I had a significant problem with her earlier this year."

"How so?"

"Well, she blew off practice, claiming to be sick."

"And she wasn't actually sick?" Mercedes hadn't come across as as slacker but then Will does know her better.

Will hesitated. He'd never talked to her, asked her if she was really sick. No, she looked healthy enough for Shelby. "I don't think so. She switched coaches. At the time there was another glee club coached by Shelby Cochran and she switched to that one."

"I know Shelby, seen her students. She's an excellent coach." Leaving Schuester for Shelby was a point for Mercedes in Carmen's book. Maybe he was the source of her 'motivation' problems. Carmen had seen it before, a child that blossomed under a supportive teacher. "The last tape Rachel sent, Mercedes and another girl led a piece. That was your work or Shelby's?"

"Neither." Will shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "When Mercedes and Santana, that's the other girl, came back to my group that was a condition of their return, that they could be featured at performances."

"So Mercedes wouldn't be featured otherwise?" Schuester said nothing. Carmen heard Rachel sing he thought, why even ask that question? "So they put that performance together themselves?" Carmen continued.

Schuester had never seen the TroubleTones practice, had no idea how they functioned. "Well, we all wear the same costumes but yes, Santana and Mercedes picked the song and the choreography." At least that was his best guess. So much for unmotivated Carmen thought, Mercedes is in two glee clubs, one of which she's running.

"Thank you, Will." Carmen smiled at him. "Can you send them in, one at a time, any order?"

* * *

"She said I'm good enough for Broadway already." Rachel sobbed into Finn's shoulder. "She said she didn't know what NYADA could teach me." He rubbed his large hands across her bare ass.

"It's going to be okay, baby." Thank god that's over he thought.

* * *

"She said I have potential!" Kurt was still squealing about his admission to NYADA.

Blaine tried to feel supportive, wondering how this setup was going to work next year. Meanwhile he rolled over and took in Kurt's nude body. He traced the outline of Kurt's ribs with his fingertips. Kurt's so thin he thought.

"What are you thinking?" Kurt asked softly.

"I'm wondering where you're going to put your freshman 15. I hope not here." He said stroking Kurt's chest. He leaned over and kissed Kurt's belly button. "And not here." His head drifted lower. "And this part's perfect!" Blaine would give Kurt something to squeal about, a reason to come back to Lima. He climbed on top of his boyfriend.

* * *

"She said I was the most versatile singer ever! Like ever! She said I wear masks all the time but the real Mercedes is awesome and NYADA's going to help me find her!" Sam squeezed her hand and glanced over at Dr. Jones sitting on the other side of the family room. Making out could wait. They had time, they'd make time. Right now he's sitting in the family room because that's what he is, family. Artie may have put his foot down about being her only prom date but the two of them had made it quite clear that prom promise or not they're dating now. They were Facebook status official, "Sam and Mercedes are in a relationship!" and tomorrow he's serenading her in glee club. He whispered in her ear "We need to practice the song for tomorrow. So kiss me!"

She giggled. "Dad, Sam and I are going to sit on the porch for a while." Her father nodded and pick up his book.

* * *

**The End (really)**

It didn't fit into the story but Sam's going to sing "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer. The surprise audition song was "Fancy" by Bobbie Gentry or Reba McEntire. Take your pick, they're both great singers. "She Think's My Tractor's Sexy "was performed by Kenny Chesney and written by Paul Overstreet, Chord's dad, and the song is as funny as the title.

I figure if a full scholarship to U of Louisville (thanks Gravitydefied) can land in Santanta's lap one to NYADA can land on Mercedes. I have no idea how the auditions turn out, just that Whoopi Goldberg is playing the dean of NYADA, Carmen Tibideaux. I kinda like Rachel and am filled with fear about how she's going to react to a teacher she can't push around like she rolls all over Will. I hope she goes to NYU and picks up Chandler as her new best gay.

Thanks to everybody that reviewed/alerted the first chapter and especially to Jadziwine for reminding me how much Schuester deserves to be fired, at a minimum. Zombie stew is too good for him. If that makes no sense you really need to go read Blood, Lust and Bulletwounds. That is unless you have a sensitive stomach cause the title's pretty accurate.

Lastly, Did you'll see Boogie Shoes? Loved Wade but really, the two members of ND who wouldn't, not even for a second, consider setting up a black gay guy? Loved seeing Kurt and Mercedes together but WTF! Some talented writer (hint hint because there's at least a dozen people on this site who can handle that piece of heavy lifting) needs to rewrite that story. I have to get back to my other story.


End file.
